[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 165 (Thursday, August 26, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46596-46598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22214]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 981014259-8312-02; I.D. 081199A]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder,
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries; Adjustments to the 1999 Summer
Flounder Commercial Quota
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Commercial quota adjustment for 1999.
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SUMMARY: NMFS issues a listing of final adjustments to the 1999
commercial summer flounder state quotas. This action complies with the
regulations that implement the Fishery Management Plan for the Summer
Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries (FMP) that require
landings in excess of a given state's individual commercial quota be
deducted from that state's quota for the following year. The intent of
this action is to continue the rate of rebuilding of the overfished
stock of summer flounder in 1999 as described in the FMP's objectives,
while also taking into account 1998 overages of state quotas.
DATES: Effective August 26, 1999, through December 31, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul H. Jones, Fisheries Policy
Analyst, (978) 281-9273.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
NMFS published a document in the Federal Register on April 15, 1999
(64 FR 18582) announcing preliminary adjustments to the 1999 summer
flounder commercial quotas. Further adjustment is necessary in this
notification due to late data received from the States of Connecticut,
Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.
[[Page 46597]]
The final 1998 landings and resulting overages for all states are
given in Table 1. The resulting adjusted 1999 commercial quota for each
state is given in Table 2. In Table 3, the adjustment has been made to
maintain the incidental component of the commercial quota at 32.7
percent of the total (as recommended in the final specifications).
Table 1.--Summer Flounder Final 1998 Landings and Overages by State
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1998 Quota Final 1998 Landings 1998 Overage
State -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lb Kg \1\ Lb Kg \1\ Lb Kg \1\
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ME................................ 4,791 2,173 5,626 2,552 835 379
NH................................ 51 23 ........... ........... ........... ...........
MA................................ 721,899 327,448 709,387 321,773 ........... ...........
RI................................ 1,742,583 790,422 1,716,463 778,575 ........... ...........
CT................................ 250,457 113,605 262,732 119,173 12,275 5,568
NY................................ 763,419 346,281 823,093 373,349 59,674 27,068
NJ................................ 1,858,363 842,939 1,862,800 844,952 4,437 2,013
DE................................ (14,534) (6,593) (11,205) (5,083) (25,739) (11,676)
MD................................ 199,876 90,662 224,092 101,646 24,216 10,984
VA................................ 2,362,877 1,071,783 2,615,750 1,186,484 252,873 114,701
NC................................ 3,049,589 1,383,270 2,980,683 1,352,015 ........... ...........
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Total \3\..................... 10,939,371 4,962,013 11,189,421 5,075,436 328,571 149,038
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\1\ Kilograms are as converted from pounds, and may not necessarily add due to rounding.
\2\ Parentheses indicate a negative number.
\3\ Total quota and total landings do not equal overage because they reflect positive quota balances in several
states.
Table 2.--Summer Flounder Final Adjusted 1999 Quotas
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1999 Initial Quota 1999 Adjusted Quota
State -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lb Kg \1\ Lb Kg \1\
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ME...................................... 5,285 2,397 4,450 2,018
NH...................................... 51 23 51 23
MA...................................... 757,842 343,751 757,842 343,751
RI...................................... 1,742,583 790,422 1,742,583 790,422
CT...................................... 250,791 113,757 238,516 108,189
NY...................................... 849,680 385,408 790,006 358,341
NJ...................................... 1,858,363 842,939 1,853,926 840,927
DE...................................... 1,977 897 (25,739) (11,675)
MD...................................... 226,570 102,770 202,354 91,786
VA...................................... 2,373,569 1,076,633 2,120,696 961,932
NC...................................... 3,044,589 1,381,002 3,044,589 1,381,002
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Total............................... 11,111,300 5,039,999 10,729,274 4,866,717
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\1\ Kilograms are as converted from pounds, and may not necessarily add due to rounding.
\2\ Parentheses indicate a negative number.
Table 3.--Final Summer Flounder 1999 State Quotas and Inidental Catch Allocations
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Directed Incidental Catch Total
State Percent -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
share Lb Kg \1\ Lb Kg Lb Kg
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ME..................................................... 0.04756 2,995 1,358 1,455 660 4,450 2,018
NH..................................................... 0.00046 34 16 17 8 51 23
MA..................................................... 6.82046 510,028 231,345 247,814 112,407 757,842 343,751
RI..................................................... 15.68298 1,172,758 531,954 569,825 258,468 1,742,583 790,422
CT..................................................... 2.25708 160,521 72,811 77,995 35,378 238,516 108,189
NY..................................................... 7.64699 531,674 241,163 258,332 117,177 790,006 358,341
NJ..................................................... 16.72499 1,247,692 565,944 606,234 274,983 1,853,926 840,927
DE..................................................... 0.01779 (17,322) (7,857) (8,417) (3,818) (25,739) (11,675)
MD..................................................... 2.03910 136,184 61,772 66,170 30,014 202,354 91,786
VA..................................................... 21.31676 1,427,228 647,380 693,468 314,552 2,120,696 961,932
NC..................................................... 27.44584 2,049,008 929,415 995,581 451,588 3,044,589 1,381,002
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Total.............................................. 100.00000 7,220,801 3,275,300 3,508,473 1,591,416 10,729,274 4,866,717
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\1\ Kilograms are as converted from pounds, and may not necessarily add due to rounding.
\2\ Parentheses indicate a negative number.
[[Page 46598]]
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from
review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 20, 1999.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-22214 Filed 8-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
